A few weeks ago, we headed off to the Ardèche for a unique experience: the ST-GERMAIN Harvest. This means harvesting the elderflowers used to make the precious beverage that is ST-GERMAIN liqueur.
Little did we know how meticulous the harvesting of these rare and fragile flowers is, and how rich the world of this brand is.
A gift of nature sublimated by a unique recipe and a bottle with vintage elegance and refinement “à la française”, ST-GERMAIN® liqueur has established itself as the nec plus ultra of bartending. As much for its delicacy as for its floral purity and the thousand combinations it suggests.
ST-GERMAIN®: a unique French success story!
Made in France from fresh elderflowers, ST-GERMAIN® was launched in 2007 by American Rob Cooper. Named in homage to Saint-Germain-des Près, the mythical Parisian district, it is the fruit of this distiller’s fascination with France, its history and
its spirits (an expertise inherited from his grandfather, N.J. Sky Cooper, creator, in 1987, of the Chambord liqueur).
True to the purity of a recipe, with no preservatives or artificial flavors, ST-GERMAIN® liqueur guarantees the most delicate expression of elderflower, with exotic fruit, grapefruit and pear flavors and a touch of citrus. Floral and fruity, in its sublime iconic bottle, ST-GERMAIN® liqueur has conquered the world, appreciated both for its own sake and for its versatility.
Thanks to its gourmet notes, this subtle flavor enhancer has become an essential ingredient in countless cocktails, including the ST-GERMAIN® Spritz, combining spring and summer fragrances.
In Praise of the Elderberry (sambucus nigra)
Our ancestors planted this shrub near their homes as a sign of happiness.
Adorned in late spring with ivory-white umbels of blossom, this tall shrub is a sight to behold and a delight to smell, thanks to its musky fragrance. In Scandinavia and Central Europe, gourmet traditions have also been passed down using its flowers and berries. The first
gave their muscatel aromas to drinks (still and sparkling wines, lemonade, syrup, etc.) and dishes (fritters, confectionery). The second, purplish-black berries can also be macerated in wine, cooked to make excellent jellies or jams, or combined with fruit cakes, compotes or soups.
In France, these culinary practices have long been the preserve of local practices and family secrets, sometimes transcended by the instincts of great chefs who are close to plants and nature. Like Michel Bras, in Laguiole (Aveyron), who pioneered the rediscovery of elderflower liqueur in the 1980s, or the Haut-Savoyard Marc Veyrat, who nearly 20 years ago accompanied his “brisés de fraises de bois” with an airy elderflower cream.
By reappropriating and enhancing these regional skills, ST-GERMAIN® has put this flower back at the heart of French art de vivre and international mixology.
Inside the secrets of ST-GERMAIN® liqueur
The excellence of ST-GERMAIN® depends on a race against time. To capture the quintessence of these wild, ephemeral flowers, and preserve their nectar without preservatives or artificial ingredients, a production process must be followed that tolerates no delays and no shortcomings.
The utmost care must first be taken when harvesting, which must be done by hand, in late spring. In May and June, inflorescences arranged in little hanging umbrellas (corymbs or umbels) reach the height of their aroma and perfume.
Particularly in the temperate climate of Europe’s pre-mountainous zones, where elderberries thrive.
Fragile and evanescent, only the most perfect elderflowers are selected and processed the very day they are picked. To preserve their freshness and the quality of their aromas, long journeys are out of the question. The flowers are immediately processed in their
collection environment, for the first and decisive stage of maceration.
To capture the highly aromatic essential oil nestled at the heart of these tiny petals and stamens, the little white buds are immersed for several hours in lukewarm water, kept at a constant temperature throughout. The sweet elderberry infusion, which guarantees the purity of the extraction, is then decanted and filtered, before being transported without delay to the manufacturing plant in Fécamp.
In this Normandy town, famous for its liqueur-making expertise, the 100% natural solution is blended with wine brandy and just the right amount of sugar to enhance the floral fragrance and muscatel notes that are the hallmarks of ST-GERMAIN® excellence. The liqueur owes its slightly golden
color to flower pollen.
No fewer than 1,000 elderflowers are needed to produce a 70-cl bottle!
An iconic bottle, a symbol of French elegance
ST-GERMAIN® has chosen to bottle the quintessence of wild flora in a bottle embodying the height of Parisian refinement. Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a city and district steeped in history, has always been a magnet for intellectuals, designers and artists
from all over the world. Immediately recognizable thanks to its shape, topped with curves and gilding, the bottle, published mainly in 70 cl and 50 cl formats (it also exists in 20 cl and mignonette), is a nod to the France of the 1920s and the flourishing of the
Art Deco style. A vintage elegance highlighted by fine gold and midnight-blue typography and labels, which might have caught the eye of American writers _ Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Gertrude Stein…, faithful followers of the French capital’s Années Folles bohemia.
But this “elderberry delight” is a modern-day product, as indicated by the unique number on each bottle, which specifies the batch and year of manufacture for traceability purposes.
While a circular seal, emblematic of ST-GERMAIN®, decorates the cap with city chic, a small bicycle printed at the top of the label recalls the rural origins of a raw material, once harvested by bicycle to protect the integrity of the flowers and their fragrance.
A unique taste, a favorite of bartenders
The excellence of ST-GERMAIN® liqueur, a refined balance of flower and fruit, liveliness and sweetness, urban lifestyle and wilderness, can play a leading role, whether enjoyed neat or simply on the rocks.
But if our elderflower liqueur has established itself as an indispensable ingredient for a new generation of bartenders who track down premium spirits with the same obsessive care that a new generation of chefs takes
to seek out the best products, it’s because ST-GERMAIN® adapts to every atmosphere.
Elderflowers bloom with the arrival of spring, enriching the fragrance of the season with combinations that can be enjoyed at any time of day. Whether they accompany a light brunch, whet the appetite before a meal or enhance a late evening, these cocktails open up a whole new range of organoleptic possibilities.
The modernity of the ST-GERMAIN® touch can be combined with all basic spirits – gin, vodka, rum, whisky, bourbon, tequila, cognac… – and the great classics they have inspired – gin & tonic, margarita, daiquiri, fizz, martini, old-fashioned… -. Capable of bringing all these blends to life,
elderberry’s delicate bouquet is also a subtle flavor enhancer, offering just the right amount of contrast to highlight the flavors of the other ingredients.
ST-GERMAIN® SPRITZ: summer’s flagship cocktail!
While the creativity of our bartenders makes ST-GERMAIN® available in an infinite range, some classics have already made their mark, such as the essential ST-GERMAIN® Spritz.
Spritz is a cocktail of Venetian origin, born of an Austrian tradition (soldiers of the Austrian Empire used to add a splash of seltzer to the wines of the peninsula, “spritzen” meaning “to sprinkle”), This blend of Prosecco, bitter liqueur and sparkling water, which has become a worldwide bestseller
, readily exchanges its bitterness for the freshness of ST-GERMAIN®, perfectly in tune with the liveliness of Prosecco (or Champagne). Euphorized by the bubbles and vinous flavors, the springtime sweetness of elderflowers transforms this classic cocktail into a languorous stroll, making ST-GERMAIN®
Spritz a must for terraces, lounging by the water and aperitifs until sunset.
The original ST-GERMAIN® Spritz recipe:
4cl ST-GERMAIN® liqueur
6cl Prosecco
6cl sparkling water
Pour all ingredients into a tall glass filled with ice cubes
and stir gently. Garnish with lemon zest.
Cette publication est également disponible en :
